The fishtail palm is a member of the palm family (Arecaceae) from Southeast Asia, where it is most often found in moist organic soil over limestone in mesic hammocks and disturbed wooded areas. The genus name is from the Greek, karuotos , meaning “nut-bearing.” The species epithet is a Latin word meaning “mild” or “unarmed.” The fishtail palm is sometimes used as an indoor ornamental in a container with rich soil and prefers medium light and low to medium relative humidity. Water the plant only when the soil is dry. It does best in warm climates and will tolerate a light frost but is not cold hardy. The plant has shallow roots and should be protected from wind. The plant can reach a height of 40 feet with clustered, unbranched stems. New stems (“suckers”) are produced at the base of the clump. The leaves are large, long-petioled, arching, and bipinnately divided into leaflets which are widest above the middle (fan-shaped to fishtail-shaped) and irregularly toothed at the apex. The purple flowers are small and bloom in the summer and the fruit is a fleshy berry. The fruit is toxic and causes dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Do not handle crushed or broken fruit. Do not allow children or pets to consume the fruits. Curiously, flower stalks appear from the top of each stem first, with subsequent inflorescences arising from lower and lower nodes. After the last inflorescence is produced from the lowermost node of the trunk (sometimes at ground level) the entire trunk dies. As this palm has multiple stems, the plant continues to live and produce more suckers. The fishtail palm is used as a specimen or accent palm, but because it produces dense clusters of stems, it is also used as a screen or hedge. It is grown as a houseplant in temperate regions. Quick ID Hints: Small to medium, clumping palm. Smooth, gray bark on stems 4 to 6 inches in diameter. large bipinnately compound leaves; leaflets 4 to 9 inches long. Shaggy fibers cover the petioles and leaf sheaths, but no spines. 1/4 inch wide, pale purple flowers that initially appear at the top of the stem. Fruits are small, round berries that ripen from yellow-green to reddish black. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems : Monitor for spider mites and scale when grown indoors. They can be a serious problem for this plant. It is also susceptible to lethal yellowing disease. The fruits are poisonous and are harmful to children and pets. Severe skin irritation can occur if the fruits are eaten or handled.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Leaves are large, long-stalked, arching, bipinnately divided into leaflets which are widest above the middle and irregularly toothed at apex. Bipinnate; pinnules asymmetrical, deltoid, apex highly incised; sheaths felted and scaly, disintegrating into black fibers. The leaves are large at 6 1/2 to 13 feet long.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Mature plants first flower at the top of the stem then flower down the stem. After the last flowering, the stem dies and should be removed. The clump, however, will produce more stems. Houseplants rarely flower.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is round, 0.5 inches in diameter, and reddish-black berry. It is not showy and does not attract wildlife.
Bark color
Light Gray
Bark detail
It is multi-trunked with gray smooth bark and covered with leaf sheaths.
Stem detail
Solitary or clustered, unbranched stems up to 33 feet tall and 6 inches in diameter. Leaf bases and sheaths fibrous, becoming bare and ringed.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Southeast China to Indo-China and Malesia, India, Philippines.
Distribution
Cultivated in warm areas around the world.
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Seeds
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
Immature seeds are edible (and are sold as canned delicacies), but the berries are toxic.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Fishtail palm is used as a poison and a medicine and for fuel and food.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants
Landscape theme
Asian Garden
Design feature
Accent; Barrier; Flowering Tree; Foundation Planting; Hedge; Screen/Privacy; Specimen
Contact Dermatitis; Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Children; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Humidity
Propagation
Division; Seed
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Fruits
Poison symptoms
The berries of this plant are toxic and can cause sever pain in the mouth if eaten. Can also cause minor skin irritation that can last several minutes. Other symptoms include burning and swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, and throat; difficulty speaking; and redness and swelling of skin and eyes after handling berries.